Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has emphasized the importance of industrialization and economic empowerment as key strategies for ensuring national security and sustainable development.
The governor made the remarks while receiving participants of Senior Course 34, Team 5, of the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, who were on a study tour of Gombe State as part of their course theme, “Optimizing Natural Resources for Industrialization, National Development and Security in Nigeria.”
Governor Yahaya said governments at all levels must focus on providing critical infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and water to unlock industrial growth and improve citizens’ livelihoods.
“Socio-economic progress and industrial development depend largely on the availability of basic infrastructure,” he said. “Without deliberate efforts toward industrialization and economic empowerment, the quest for securing lives and property may remain elusive.”
The governor cited his administration’s flagship Network Eleven Hundred project — which aims to construct at least 100 kilometers of roads in each of Gombe’s 11 local government areas — as evidence of his government’s infrastructure-led growth agenda.
He also highlighted the 1,000-hectare Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park in Dadin Kowa as a cornerstone of Gombe’s industrial transformation. According to him, the state has so far invested over ₦26 billion in the project, providing 25 kilometers of internal roads, over two million liters of water storage, and an independent power source to support industries.
“We have also signed an MoU with a Chinese firm for the provision of 100 megawatts of solar power to boost the state’s electricity supply,” the governor added.
Governor Yahaya explained that the Industrial Park is designed to strengthen the state’s agro-industrial base, promote value addition, and reduce post-harvest losses among farmers. He disclosed that several companies have already begun setting up operations within the park.
